Improvement in fire apparatus



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. HASTINGS. Fire Apparatus.

Patented Oct/16,1877.

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3 Sheets--Sheet 2,

Patented Oct. 16, 1877.

J. L. HASTINGS. Fire. Apparatus.

N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER WASH NGTON D C 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

J. L. HASTINGS.

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N, PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGHAPMER, WASHINGTON. n C

UNITED STATES JAMES L. HASTINGS,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMIENT lN FIRE APPARATUS.

Spccication forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,089, dated October 16, 1877; application iled January 16, 1877.

11o-allwhom it 'may concern y Be it known that I, J AMEs L. HAsTrNes, of the city, county, and Sta-te of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire Apparatus, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being' had tothe accompanying drawings.

The 'object of my invention is to construct an apparatus for the utilization of the elastic qualities of compressed carbonio-acid gas or air for the purposes of forcing' a continuous stream of water. It differs from all inventions known under the'head of fire-extinguishers in this, that the gasor air taken from the gcnerator, storage-tanks, or reservoir, after having exerted its force onl the water, is returned to the original pressure in the tanksfor further use, losing'onlythepercentage that is absorbed by the water in the automatic pump, (working under ten' to twentyfive atmospheres,) and which iscarried away with the water.

The advantages secured by such an appara tus are apparent. in the reduction of the eX- penditure forv gas, which is usually lost by being dispelled in the atmosphere tot transita. and in the amoini-t` of water, length of time, and distance a smal-l quantity of compressed carbonio-acid' gas or air can be utilized to throw water through a nozzle, by means of a pump that isconstructed to `work continuously imd'er an even heavy pressure.

The nature of my invention consists in the arrangement and combination of an apparatus for forcing a stream of water by the pressure exerted by compressed carbonio-acid gas or air; in the manner of supporting the gas tanks or tubes; inthemode of compressing such gas or air; in the construction of the valves for holding the gas or air under great pressure in the tanks or tubes 5: inthe construction of an automatically e working pump, whereby the pressure of the gas or air is exerted on the surface of the water to force the stream 5 and in the arrangement of an air or gas pump or com-A pressor combined witha suitable mo tor, whereby the exhausted gas-from the automatic pump isa again compressed to the required degree, and forced back into the tanks or tubes for use again.

Figure l isa side view of one form of such apparatus, showingthe gas-tanks B, the automatic pmnp C, the gas or air pump D, and the engine D used to work such prnnp, and the pipes connecting the same. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, showing the construction and arrangement of the clamps and braces for supporting and bracing the tanks. Fig. 3 is a front view of the gas-tanks, the gas or air pump, and engine working such pump, the automatic pump not being shown. Fig. L.trepresents one construction of valve to be used in the head of the tanks for holding the gas or air in such tanks. Fig. 5 represents another construction of valve for the same purpose, and the iitting therefor. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the automatic pump C. Fig. 7 is a top view of the same and of its chambers.

The whole apparatus is supported on a bedframe generally made of iron, which may be of any desired thickness and width suflicient to bear the weight and strain put upon it. It may, however, be made of any suficiently strong material, and is to. be mounted 011 springs and wheels.

The tanks are supported within and by side pieces A A1 A2, which are bolted to pieces of metal ct a brazed or otherwise fixed to the tank. The center and heavier side piece A is connected by bolts to a band, d, which is shrinik on the tank, and serves the double purpose of strengthening the tank and supporting it, such band being bolted to the frame. Bands shrunk on the top and bottom ofthe tank may be used for the same purpose. The clamp-braces E, which are shown in Fig. 2, are made of brass or other suitable material, and are placed at the top and bottom of the tanks B, and are connected by iron rods c c, which can be-tightened by nuts f. As will be apparent, these clamps and rods will so secure the tanks that they cannot have movement in either direction, or in the frames A A1 A2. The gas tanks or tubes are made of any required strength, and areA fitted with screw-plugs b for the purpose of blowing o or clearing such tanks, when desired or necessary.

In the top of each of such tanks or tubesis a valve for retaining the gas or air in such tanks,-or permitting it to pass therefrom into the automatic plnnp, and is attached to the head of such tank in the following mann er:

J is a flange, about four inches in diameter, which is screwed to a piece of iron or brass,

brazed or welded on the inside of the head G, and provided with an opening in its center of olie-half or three-fourths ot' an inch. The purpose of making this iitting of such dianieter is to facilitate the putting the heads in the "tanks, and to apply, when desired, an acid-proof coating to the inside of the tanks. The valve J is conical shaped, and its seat is formed by the shell J2, which is or may be apai't of the flange J, and is titted inside to the valve. Such valve and seat have recesses c c filled with soft metal or other packing, so placed that when the valve is closed the surfaces of the soft metal or other packing are brought tightly together, making it ilnpossible for the gas or air to escape. To such valve is iixed a stem, I, which works in a thread, and is held in place by the bushing` 1, and is packed at the bushing 2 by asbestus, gum, or other packing, and the connections of the valve are also so constructed as to admit of packing. In the use of such valve the pressure ofthe gas or air in the tanks or tubes is against the bottoni of the valve, and tends to tighten it. Such valve may be Worked by hand, through the wheel I', or by a lever, or in any other suitable manner.

Fig. 5 shows another construction of valve, which may be u'sed for the same purpose, in which F is a nipple which forms the seat for thevalve,and g its iiange. Such iiange is made in one piece, of brass or other suitable material, of any required size; but I prefer it of brass, four inches in diam'eter at the iian ge and one-halt' or three-fourths of an inch at the nipple, and screws into a piece of iron brazed or welded inside the head G, iitted with a thread, into which takes the thread ofthe flange g. 'lliese threads should be trimmedbetbre the lling is screwed into the head, and soldered afterward to make the joint perfectly' gas or air tight. The end of the liipple F is turned oiil conical shaped, and forms the seat of the valve H, to which is connected a stein, I, such stem working in and being supported by bushing and packing, as before described. Such valve has also a recess, b, in it, filled with soft metal, which lallows the conical seat F to einbed itself in such metal, thus making the valve absolutely gas or air tight.

The several tanks B, except one, (or more, according to the size of the apparatus,) which is intended to receive the exhaust from the automatic pump, and which should be but partially charged, if at all, are charged from the generator, or by an air-puinp it' air is used, and when any required pressure is obtained the valve in the top is closed, and such pressure will be thus available whenever desired; and when the apparatus is required for working, commimication is made between the tanks and the automatic pump by means ofthe pipe del, and opening the valve. One or more tanks can be used, as desired, and communication between such tanks is eii'ected by a pipe, dl dl.

The pump or compressori) is single or double acting, of any desired capacity, ofno prescribed form, but, like any eiiicient gas or air pump,

placed in a convenient position to its work, and rmly secured to the frame and tanks.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the automatic pump C, in which B1 B2 are the chambers, two or more, made of steel or other suitable material, and of any desired dimension. C C are heats, made of cork or other suitable material, to work the levers L L, which operate the valves M M. d is the inlet for the water which passes into the chambers through the valves (Il (1. E is the outlet for the water passing through the valve d? d2. These valves have recesses that are filled with soft metal or other material to make them gas and water tight in their action, and they are arranged on the stem P, one on each end. The stem is held in place and works in the bearings s s. h h a re the iiilet-pipes for the gas or air, connecting with the gas tanks or tubes. o 0 are the inlets to the chambers Bl B2 for the gas, and o o the exhaust or outlet; m, the exhaustpipe which conducts the exhaust-gas back into the tanks reserved for such purpose. H is a handle to levers L.

The exhaust of gas from the automatic pump C is conducted by pipe or hose back to one of the gas-tanks used for such purpose, and which is empty, or is charged with gas or air at about one-third less pressure than are the other tanks, and from such tank the exhaust air or gas is drawn or exhausted by the air pump or compressor l), and by it compressed to the required degree, and then forced into the other tanks or one of them, and the pressure thus kept up, as required, in this continual mechanical way.

The tube conveying the' exhaust air or gas from the pump C to the exhaust-tank is fitted with a check-valve to prevent any back pressure from the exhaust-receiving tank. There' is no gas thus lost, except that absorbed by the water, as all the gas, with such exception, is conveyed again to the tanks after being recompressed, so as to be again available for use, as before. Any style of generator may be used, and pressure-gages to note the pressure.

The apparatus being charged, its action is as follows: The tanks, except that appropri ated to receive the exhaust from the pump C, being iilled with compressed gas or air at a pressure of two hundred to four hundred pounds on the inch, and the pump C connected by pipes, it is readily understood that the pressure of gas in the tanks, upon being liberated by opening the valves, rushes into the chambers ot' the pump until the pressure is equalized. If the chambers are full of water, the pressure ofthe gas displaces it and forces it out. As soon as this displacement has been effected, and the supply from the tanks is shut oft' by one of the valves M in the automatic pump, the other valve Mis opened, and the liberated gas rushes through pipe or hose back into one of the tanks B, used for that purpose. From such tank the gas or air is exhausted by the pump l) and engine D', and compressed to the required pressure, and then forced into the other tanks to be used again, and so on continuously.

The piunp or compressor D, used for compressing again the gas or air returned from the automatic pump and forcing it into the other tanks, may be worked by any suitable power; but I prefer, for working such pump I), an engine working on the principle or plan similar to that used in Braytons ready motor. Such engine is constructed with an air-pump, which is used to pump air into the workingcylinder to supply combustion. If applied to my apparatus, the size of this pump would be increased, and the whole strength of the engine would be applied to pump air into the tanks to the density required to work the automatic pump C.

By my apparatus I make a fueengine that will throw as much water as a steam re engine, and which will be almost inexpensive in its working compared with the hre-engines now in use, and at a comparatively triiiing expense.

Fig. 7 is a top view of the chambers B1 B2 of the automatic pinnp. c c are the valvefchambers; h h, gas-inlets; and the exhaustpipe.

The action is as follows: The pump is attached to the tanks or tubes by pipes or by hose, the suction-hose R having been attached to the water-plug, and also to the pump at d or the pump may be immersed in water, the water rushing through the valve d into chamber Bl, raising iioat G', which operates the levers L, thereby opening the valve M, and letting the gas pass through inlet O from pipe h to the chamber B1. The pressure of the gas on the water in the chamber B1 closes valve d1 and opens valve d, forcing the water out through valve d2 into the hose connected at E.

The pressure of the gas on the valve d1 closes it in that chamber and opens it in the other,` (both valves'being on the same stem,) and the water from d passes through the open valve and lls that chamber while the pressure of the gas is forcing the water out of the other. As this operation is going on, the exhaust-port q o of the chamber, being thus filled with water,

is open, so that the gas or air can iiow into the tank used to take the exhaust air. As the water rises in such chamber the float therein is raised, which moves the lever connected therewith, thereby opening the valve N and letting the gas into such chamber, the pressure of which closes the valve d1, opening valve d?, as before described, in respect to the other chamber. In this manner an automatic action of the pump, produced by the pressure of the gas, causes a continuous stream of water to flow throughthe hose at E.

If the amount of water from the plug is more than the pump works, the surplus is permitted to pass into the discharge E by pipes and siphon fittings connected therewith, the supply to the chambers being` regulated by gate-valve or in any suitable manner.

When there are no water-plugs, the chambers may be filled by the pump l), or the automatic pump may be immersed in a stream or well of water, the gravity of the water filling the chambers. The gas in this case is conducted to and from the pump by hose, the action of the pump being the same in all cases.

Having described the character of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to any precise arrangement, form, or dimensions of apparatus. They may be madeI stationary as well as portable, and sulphurous-acid gas maybe used, if found convenient, in connection with water, for extinguishing res.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the gas or air tanks or holders B, 011e or more used for holding thc compressed air or gas, and one or more used for receiving the exhaust air or gas, as described, the automatic pump C, or its equivalent, connecting with such pressure and exhaust, substantially as described, and the air pump or compressor I), having suitable connections with the exhaust and pressure tanks for recompressiug the exhaust air or gas and forcing the same into the pressure-tanks, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the gas tanks or holders B, as described, the conical valve J1 J2, constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

3. The combination and arrangement, iu the automatic pump C, of the chambers Ill B2, iioats C1, and levers L for operating the valves M moving in valve-chambers, and having inlet and outlet passages o o', and the self-acting valves l1 d2, moving in chambers provided with inlet and outlet passages, the whole operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the gas-tanks B, automatic pimip C, air pump or engine I), of a motor engine to work the air-pump, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination and arrangement, with the gas-tanks B, of the elampbraces E and their connectingrods c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

- JAMES L. IIASTINGS.

Witnesses .S. D. LAW,

J AivrEs T. Law. 

